Our most recently completed project, Hargood Close in Colchester, has been shortlisted in the Housing Design Awards.

Hargood Close provides 35 units for vulnerable people in need of emergency accommodation and replaces a run-down hostel on the site. Our scheme was inspired by historic Essex almshouses - a successful housing model that has been updated to provide high quality accommodation on a comfortable, domestic scale. A key design feature is the imaginative use of brick to give rhythm, scale and expression to the elevations, and to reference not only historic almshouses but also neighbouring properties along one of Colchester's principal routes. A mixture of apartments and family houses provides a range of flexible options to help staff respond to different living requirements of changing tenants, and the scheme also contains offices and accommodation for staff and a secure children's play area.

The Housing Design Awards are the leaading awards for housing design and recognise excellence in both completed and planned housing schemes. They are given annually and are a cross industry partnership between the Government, the private sector and professional institutions. This year's awards will be presented on 4 July at Central St Martin's, London.